Flexible tube.



PATENTED SEPT. s, .1904.

- M. M. WATERMAN.

. FLEXIBLE TUBE. APPLIOA TION'FILED MAY 20, 1904.

NO MODEL.

INVENTOR Atlornzy WITNESSES UNTTE STATES Patented September 6,1904,

PATENT .OFFICE.

MARCUS. M. WATERMAN, or TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF I TO JAMES K. P. PINE, JAMES J. CHILD, GEORGE W. DAW, AND

HERBERT E. NORTHRUP, OF TROY, NEW YORK;

FLEXIBLE TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,366, dated September 6, 1904. Application filed May 20, 1904. Serial No. 203,988. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be itknown thatLMARoUs M. WATERMAN,2L resident of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Tubes; and I dohercby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved flexible tube, the object of the invention being to provide a tube composed of a spirally-wound interlocking strip of metal so shaped as to permit flexibility of the tube, yet insure a tight tube at any Curvature it may be bent,

this character capable of great longitudinal.

strength, yet of suflicient flexibility to accommodate itselfto any and all uses to which it may be put. r

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating my improvements. tion thereof, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view.

My improved tube is formed from a metal strip 1, preferably of steel, of the shape shown in cross-section in Figs. 2 and 3, and spirally wound and the convolutions interlocked by reason of the shape of the strip, as will now be explained. The strip in cross-section is bent, forming two parallel outwardly-curved portions 2 and-3, the former of greater width and curvature than the latter and made with an inwardly-projecting flange ,or lip 4 at its edge, while the other edge of the strip is provided with an outwardly-projecting flange or lip 5, as clearly shown in Fig.- 3,

The strip 1 is Wound spirally upon itself, the curved portion 2 thereof overlapping the Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal seccurved portion 3 of the adjacent convolution and inclosingthe outwardly-projecting flange or lip 5' thereof, the i-nwardlyprojecting flange or lip 4: being'located around the curved portion 3, so that while the curved portions 2 and 3 permit the convolutions to move on each other in bending the tube without open- -ing' the tube-wall the flanges or lips 4 and 5 1 limit the separation of the convolutions and anything yet devised in a metal tube of this character without the employment of separate looking or packing means.

Slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I would have it understood thatI do not restrict myself to the'precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changesandalterations'as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. 4

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A flexible tube, comprising a continuous strip wound spirally, said strip bent longitudinally and curved laterally, forming two parallel outwardly-curved portions, one of said curved portions being located under the other where the convolutions of the strip overlap.

2. A flexible tube, comprising a continuous strip wound spirally, said strip bent longitudinally and curved laterally, forming two parallel outwardly-curved portions, one of said curved portions located under the otherwhere Wound spirally, said strip bent longitudinally and curved laterally, forming two parallel outwardly-curved portions, one of greater Width and curvature than the other, the Wider curved portion located over the smaller curved portion of the underlying convolution, and oppositely-projecting locking flanges or lips at the respective edges of said strip.

4. A flexible tube, comprising a metal strip Wound spirally, said strip bent longitudinally and curved laterally, forming an outwardlycurved portion at one side of the strip With an inwardly-projecting flange or lip at its edge and an outwardly-projecting flange at the opposite edge of the strip inelosed under the curved portion of the convolution overlapping the same. v

5. A flexible tube, composed of a single strip of metal Wound spirally, said strip bent longitudinally and curved laterally, and said strip provided at its overlapping portion with an inwardly-bent flange or lip, the other edge of the strip having an outwardly-projeeting flange or lip, the lateral curving of said strip forming two paralleled outwardly-curved portions, one larger to overlap and snugly fit the other and permit bending of the tube without opening the Wall thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v MARCUS M. \VATERMAN.

Witnesses:

S. W. Fos'run, R. S. FERGUSON. 

